Nissi Beach

Nissi Beach: the most famous beach of the island

Nissi Beach is a true paradise for anyone who craves sun, fun and crystal clear water. Located near Ayia Napa on the southeast coast of Cyprus, Nissi Beach is one of the most famous beaches on the island.

What makes Nissi special is its fine white sand that stretches along the shallow turquoise lagoon. With water so clear you can see all the way to the bottom, making this beach ideal for snorkelling and water sports. It is very reminiscent of the lesser known Landa Beach, but also of Makronissos Beach

Little island in the sea

One of the biggest attractions is a small island located very close to the coast. At low tide, you can easily walk across the shallow water to it. It is truly a unique little island that you won’t find on any other beach in Cyprus. Walking through shallow water and finding yourself on a barren island attracts millions of tourists to Nissi, unfortunately you can feel it.

Two faces of Nissi

Nissi Beach is, unfortunately, a victim of its own popularity. Nissi is paradise, but only in the morning. From 11:00 you won’t find a place to lay down. Every corner is occupied by tourists, the beach is head to head and you have no way to get to the sea. People are crowding like at the airport to get to the island, which spoils the whole atmosphere of the place.

If you arrive before 9:00, you will experience paradise. You’ll only find a few early birds (which we are definitely not 😊 ) or better said, tourists who are longing for a beautiful place full of atmosphere. Sun umbrellas are optional as well as almost all the sand to fold a blanket. You can fool around in the sea and not have to worry about hitting someone either with a ball or while chasing. The road to the island is also empty. Only a few people are here taking videos with their drones, like we are actually.

Most people head for the islet first, so it is still possible to have space around you in the sea around 11:00. After that, no.

How to get to the beach?

Surrounded by hotels, it’s hard to find a place that’s far from the beach. Parking is available at the beach. If you arrive in the morning, you can park for free, but later you have to look in the paid spots and even that doesn’t guarantee you’ll find a free spot. On the other hand, buses 101 and 102 stop right in front of Nissi.

You need to see the beach, but once is enough

Nissi is truly a gem and deserves a prominent place, but regulation of tourism is becoming necessary. If you really want to enjoy the place, get here around 8:30. It will already be 30 degrees outside, the sea is warm and its hues stand out beautifully when nothing is in your view. For us, 4 hours was enough to see Nissi, we wouldn’t have lasted longer. And neither would the kids.

Our little football player needed to practice her scissors by all means, and that was only possible in the morning. When we dropped the ball due to the amount of people, they got tired of the beach and were very happy when we moved to Landa Beach around noon.